Gun carriage



Dec. 10, 1946. T. H. SULLIVAN GUN CARRIAGE Filed Nov. 11, 1943 4Sheets-Sheet l Inv enfor T h omasHSulliqan.

1Q, 1946. L A 2 ,412,367

GUN CARRIAGE I Filed Nov. 11, 1943 4 Sheefcs-Sheet 2 In'vemor Dec. 10,1946. T. H. SIULLIVAN 2,412,367

' .GUN CARRIAGE Filed Nov. 11,1943 4 Sheets-Sheet s T. H. SULLIVAN2,412,367

GUN CARRIAGE Dec. 10, 1946.

4 sheets-sheet 4 Filed Nov. 11,1943

fnu em or 77l02 nasHSulZiz/an Patented Dec. 10, 1946 UNITED STATESPATENT: or ies GUN CARRIAGE Thomas H. Sullivan, Salem, Mass, assignor toUnited Shoe Machinery Corporation, Flemington, N. J., a corporation ofNew Jersey Application November 11, 1943, Serial No. 509,907

Claims.

This invention relates to carriages upon which such an article as a gunmay be transferred from one point to another, it being especiallyadapted for the purpose of raising the gun-mount from the surface uponwhich it rests, supporting it upon wheels for its travel, and loweringit to a position in whichit may be secured for firing.

It is an object of my invention to provide a carriage which may quicklybe assembled with a gun-mount, which adds little in weight yet is amplystrong, which requires the application of a relatively small force toelevate it from a lowered to a raised position upon. its wheels, andwhich is generally convenient to manipulate. With this end in view, Icombine with a carriage-body, which may be in the form of a spiderhaving radiating arms, a mount for the gun to be transferred restingupon the body, together with wheeled supports for the rear and front ofthe body, and means respectively common to the 1 rear and frontsupports, .the body and the mount for securing these elements together.The mount thus becomes in efiect a portion of the carriage, impartingstrength and rigidity, and therefore requiring a comparatively lightadded body. Preferably, a rear wheel-assembly and a bracket for aforward wheeled truck are secured to the gunmount and body, as by boltsfurnishing the common connecting means preventing movement of theconnected elements relatively to one another. As appears herein, thetruck is pivoted between the forward bracket and an extension of one ofthe spider-arms. The center of the spider is shown as carrying securingmeans, which when the carriage is lowered engages a device relativelyfixed, as in the deck of a vessel. To elevate the carriage for wheelingand to control its lowering for clamping, the carriage-body is providedwith axles at the rear and front, there being wheels rotatable upon theaxles. A toggle-lever connects the body to each of the axles, and thereis means for straightening and breaking the toggles when the carriage isto be raised and lowered. These toggles greatly multiply the forceapplied, and operate smoothly with little wear. At the rear is shown apair of connected axles upon which the wheels rotate, with a post risingfrom the connecting means at each axle. The carriage-body is guided uponthese posts, and a hand-lever is fulcrumed upon the body and joined bythe toggle-levers to the posts. The

front truck may have spaced. walls in which are uide-slots, and blocksare movable in these slots, an axlebeing free to turn in; the blocks andthe front wheel being rotatable about the axle. A

hand-lever fulcrumed upon the truck furnishes, with a link connected tothe axle, theforward toggle-lever. Oscillation of the hand-leversoutwardly and inwardly with respect to the gunmount straightens orbreaks the connected togglelevers to lift the carriage upon the wheelsfor transfer of the gun, or allows it to descend for clamping to thedeck. In their straightened relation, the toggle-levers may be retainedfor the travel of the carriage by means, as pivoted latches, engagingthe hand-levers.

In the accompanying drawings,

Fig. 1 shows my improved carriage in side elevation and in firingposition;

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation thereof;

Fig. 3, a top plan view. r Fig. 4, a view similar to Fig. 1, but withthe carriage raised for towing; and

Fig. 5, a perspective view of separated portions of the rearwheel-assembly. 7

At [0 appears the standard of a mount for a gun, this standard beingshown as in the form of a tripod, the legs of which rise from an annularbase-ring l2. Attached to the lower face of the base is a spider l4,bolts IE passing through each of its five arms near their outerextremities. This spider furnishes the body of a carriage for thegun-mount. The two rear arms I8, I8 of the spider diverge outwardly atequal angles to the center line of the carriage, and their bolts secureto the top of the base l2 a bar 20 of a rear wheelassembly A. Thefrontspider-arm 22 projects outwardly along the center line beyond thebasering, while to said ring by the bolts of the adjacent spider-arms24, 24 a forwardly and upwardly extending bracket 26 is secured. The bar20 and the bracket 26, because of their fixed attachment to the spider,maybe considered as portions of the carriage-body. In the bracket and inthe spider-arm 22 are vertically alined openings to receive the pintle28 of a forward truck or limber B. Lugs 29, on the undersides of thearms l8, l8 near their ends and at a substantially equal distance fromthe center on the arm 22, supply a uniform three-point bearing when thespider supports the gun upon the deck. 7

Considering the rear assembly A, rising from each end of the bar 20, andwelded to furnish therewith, in effect, an integral unit, is a, bracket30 (Fig. 5). At the top of each bracket, between divided portions, ahorizontal pivot-pin 32 is rotatable. Secured to these pins, in thespaces in the brackets, are the ends of a generally U -shaped hand-lever34, which may be swung from a point adjacent to the standard I0outwardly and down- 3 wardly. To the outer end of each of the pins 32 anarm 36 is fixed, articulated to a link 38. The opposite extremity ofeach link is pivoted to a post 40 received in a vertical bore through aboss 42 upon the outer side of the bracket. The post has a reduced lowerportion or stem 44, movable in a lower arm 46 of the bracket, therebeing between the post and the stem a shoulder 50. Surrounding each stem44 is a block 48, the two blocks being joined by a rod 52. Each blockhas projecting from its outer side a horizontal axle 54, about which isrotatable a Wheel 56, and uponeach block may rest the shoulder 50 of thecorresponding post 40. Each of the arms- 3 8 and links 38 furnishes atoggle-lever, through which movement of the hand-lever 34 may be trans-4 ward end of the gun-carriage, as does the lever 34 the rear. The armsof the yoke 99 extend beyond the pivot 88 to furnish the upper links ofdouble toggle-levers. The connected links I90, Hit of the toggle-leversare secured at their lower ends to the axle 84. The action of thehandle. 92, in lowering or raising the carriage, corresponds to that ofthe lever 34. With the handle swung inwardly toward the gun-standard(Figs. 1, 2 and 3), the toggle-levers 90, I are broken and the walls 18of the truck-body slide down the blocks 82, until the forward portion ofthe under mitted to the body of the carriage and to the gun-mount.

When the hand-lever is swung in toward the gun-standard (Figs. 1, 2 and3), the toggle-levers 36, 38 are broken outwardly, permitting thebrackets 38 and the rear of. the carriage to descend until the underface of the spider 1-4 rests upon the deck, or other supporting surface.To render the rear wheels 56 efiecti-ve to' support the guni-mounuthehand-lever 34 is drawn out until the elements 36- and 38 of each of thetwo togglelevers are approximately ali-ned with each other (Fig 4). Thiscauses the brackets 39 and the mount, towhich they are attached, to belifted along the posts 40, the weight of the parts being carried uponthe wheels 56 through the togglelevers and the contact of the shoulders50 of the posts with the tops' of the blocks 48'. In this activerelation, the hand-lever may be releasa-bly retained by latches 58, 58-!There is one of these latches for each of the arms of the lever 34, theybeing fast upon the opposite ends of a rod 60 rotatable in the brackets39-. A depression in the upper side of each latch receives a projection62 from the lower end of each lever arm. The latches are urged intoengagement with the arms by-expansion-springs 64' surrounding pins 66pivoted to depending arms 653 of the latches, and guided in openings inthebrackets. When the hand-lever swung outwardly, the latches engage andretain it. 7 Whenit is desired to reverse the movement of the lever andlower the mount, the depression of either latch will free both. 7 Theinner walls of the depressions, by engagement with the projections 62',limit the extent of outward movementof' the lever-34.

The forward truck B has va body-portion consisting of a thick rear wall16, from which project forwardly parallel side walls 18, 18'. Throughthe wall 1-6 'is a vertical bore 'to'receive the pintle 2 8, which iscarried in both the bracket '26 and the spider-arm 22. In the side wallsare transversely alined vertical slots 80, 89, in 'each of which is abearing-block 82, these receiving an axle 84 about which a wheel 86 isrotatable. The truck bod may thus rise and fall, guided by the blocks.'Pivoted at 88 near the upper extremity of the "walls 18 is the yokedextension 90 of a'handle 92 for use in movin'g'the carriage about thedeck. That the handle maybe more convenient'for this purpose, it ispreferably extensible, being tubular witha telescoping'extension '94provided with a hand-bar 96. A latch 98 movable in the upper end of thehandle retains the extension in either its drawn-out or retractedrelation, the latter being for'the purpose described below,

"In addition to its use in movingthecarriag'e, the handle 92 serves toraise and lower the for face of the spider rests upon the deck. When thehandle isudrawn outwardly to an extent per- 2 mitten, by contact of thearms of the yoke with lugs I02, I02 upon the outer faces of the walls18' (Fig. 4) the toggle-levers are so straightened that the forwardportion of the carriage is elevated, its weight being borne by thetogglelevers and the aXle 84. To secure the handle with the carriageraised, the lower end of each of the yoke-arms may be received in adepression in one Of two latches H14, H34 fast upon the ends of apivot-pin I06 turning in the truck-body. Each of the latches is urgedupagainst thecorresponding yoke-arm by an expansion-spring ma, interposedbetween itand a lug H 0 upon the body. The handle may be freed for thelowering of the carriage by the depression of either latch.

If it is desired to mount a gun upon the carriage of this invention, itis onlynecessary to bolt to the underside of the base 12- of the gun-standard it; a spider I4 with arms of appropriate lengths,simultaneously attaching to the-base and spider by the same 'bolts therear assembly A and the bracket 26 of the forward truck B. If the gun,thus mounted, is at rest, and it is tobe transferred to another positionfor firing, the rear lever 34 and the forward handle and lever 92 willbe found in toward the standard, with the respective toggle-levers 36,38 and 90, 1-60 broken to allow the spider torest upon the deck andsupport the mount. The handle-extension 94 lies within'the-"body of thehandle 92 to prevent interference with-the standard. "The levers 3 4 and92 are successivelyswung out to straighten the toggle-levers. Thisgreatly multiplies the force applied to lift the rear brackets 301 alongthe posts 40', and the forward truck-body '16, 18 along the bloc-ks 82,causing the gun-mountto be supported, through the toggle-levers upon thewheels :56 and, 86. Here,- it is retained by the latches 58an'd I 64.Now the handle 92, 94 may be extended so it is convenient for towing thecarriagej-which "is thus drawn to thechosen oint. Here,'the levers areunlatched, shifted inwardly, so the toggle-levers areb'roken, and themeant permitted to descend until the spider again is supported upon thedeck. To fix the gun inffiring position, some such-securing means asascrew H2 projects through an opening at the center of thespider andis-adapted to engage a-threaded socket H3, or other securing means, inthe deck; This screw has a-flange H 4 forcontact with the upper 'face ofthe spider, when said screw is turned down to secure the mount in place,and above the flange rises a stem 1 lfi'to receive a handwheel H8 foritsrotation. The stemfturnjs in the top of a casing l2-0 attached tothelupper face ofthe spider. In its inactive position, -dur-. ing theshifting of thecarriage, the screw is retained, raised withinzthecasing,by a-latch 122, pivoted at the bottom--of th-e'casing andurged intoengagement with the flange. "I 14 by "an "exp'ansion-springl'fl. An armI 28, projecting from the latch outside the'casing, may be depressed torelease the screw for its entrance into thedeck socket.

It will be seen that the spider, with its spaced arms, provides a lightcarriage-body of ample strength, convenient for the reception ofdifferent mounts; and that the wheeled supportsgive' a stable andreadily maneuverable carrier for the body and the mounted gun, and lendthemselves, without complication, to the introduction of the efiicienttoggle-levers. These multiply the applied force during the change inelevation of the carriage and permit such change to be effectedspeedily.

' Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In combination, a carriage-body, a gunmount resting upon the body, awheeled support for the rear of the body, a wheeled support for thefront of the body, and means common to the body, the mountandrespectively to the wheeled supports at the front and rear forsecuring these elements together.

2. In combination, a carriage-body, a gunmount resting upon the body, arear wheel-assembly, means for securing together the body, the mount andthe assembly and being common to all these elements, a forward bracket,means for securing together the body, the mount and the bracket andbeing common to all these elements, and a truck connected to thebracket.

3. In combination, a carriage-body, a gunmount having a base restingupon the body, a rear wheel-assembly resting upon the base, a forwardbracket resting upon the base, bolts securing together the body, base,assembly and bracket, said bolts being so positioned and arranged as toprevent movement of the body, base, assembly and bracket relative toeach other, and a truck pivoted upon the bracket.

4. In combination, a carriage-body, a gunmount having a base restingupon the body, two spaced brackets and a connecting ba formed as anintegral unit and resting upon the base, wheels rotatable upon thebrackets, a forward bracket resting upon the base, bolts securingtogether the body, base, unit and forward bracket, said bolts being sopositioned and arranged as to prevent movement of the body, base, unitand forward bracket relative to each other, and a truck pivoted upon theforward bracket.

5. In combination, aspider having radiating arms, a gun-mount having abase resting upon the arms near their outer extremities, one of saidarms extending outwardly beyond the base, two rear brackets secured tothe base and adjacent arms of the spider at the side thereof oppositethe extended arm, wheels rotatable upon the brackets, a forward bracketsecured to the base and to the spider-arms between the rear arms and theextended arm, and a truck pivoted between the forward bracket and theextended spider-arm.

6. In combination, a spider having radiating arms, a gun-mount having abase resting upon the arms near their outer extremities, one of saidarms extending outwardly beyond the base, two rear brackets secured tothe base and adjacent arms of the spider at the side thereof oppositethe extended arm, wheels rotatable upon the brackets, a forward bracketsecured to the base and to the spider-arms between the rear arms and theextended arm, a truck pivoted between the forward bracket and theextended spider-arm, and securing means carried at the center of thespide 'and adapted for engagement with device.

, 7. In a-gun-carriage, a block, anaxle projecting from the block, awheel rotatable about the axle, a post rising from the block, acarriagebody upon which a gun may be supported for movement by the bodybetween towing and firing positions, said body being guided upon thepost, a hand-lever fulcrumed upon the body, and a toggle-lever joiningthe hand-lever to the post. v

8, In a gun-carriage, a pair of axles, wheels rotatable aboutthe axles,means for connecting the axles, a post for each axle rising from theconnecting means, a carriage-body upon which a gun may be supported formovement by the body between towing and firing positions,'said bodybeing guided upon the posts, a hand-lever 'fulcrumed upon the body, andtoggle-levers joinin the hand-lever to both the posts.

9. In a gun-carriage, a block, an axle project.- ing from the block, awheel rotatable about the axle, a post rising from'the block, acarriage-body upon which a gun may be supported for movement by the bodybetween towing and firing positions, said body being guided upon thepost, a hand-lever fulcrumed upon the body, a toggle-1ever joining thehand-leve to the post, and a latch pivoted to the body and engaging thehand-lever. 10. In a gun-carriage, a carriage-body upon which a gun maybe supported for movement by the body between towing and firingpositions, spaced brackets rising above the body and each provided witha guide-opening, a post received in each opening, a block by which eachpost is supported, connecting means between the blocks, an axleprojecting from each block, a wheel rotatable upon each axle, and meansfo raising and lowering the brackets along the posts.

11. In a gun-carriage, a carriage-body upon which a gun may be supportedfor movement by the body between towing and firing positions, spacedbrackets rising above the body and each provided with a guide-opening, apost received in each opening, a block by which each post is supported,connecting means between the blocks, an axle projecting from each block,a wheel rotatable arelatively fixed upon each axle, a hand-leverfulcrumed upon the brackets, and toggle-levers joining the hand-lever tothe posts.

12. In a gun-carriage, a carriage-body upon which a gun may be supportedfor movement by the body between towing and firing positions, spacedbrackets rising above the body and each provided with a guide-opening, apost received in each opening, a block by which each post is supported,connecting means between the blocks, an axle projecting from each block,a wheel rotatable upon each axle, a hand-lever fulcrumed upon thebrackets, toggle-levers joining the hand-lever to the posts, and a latchpivoted upon each bracket for engagement with the hand-lever.

13. In a gun-carriage, a carriage-body upon which a gun may be supportedfor movement by the body between towing and firing positions, a truckpivoted to the body and provided with spaced walls in which areguide-slots, blocks movable in the slots, an axle free to turn in theblocks, a wheel rotatable about the axle, a hand-lever fulcrumed uponthe truck, and a link joining the hand-lever to the axle.

14. In a gun-carriage, a carriage-body upon which a gun may be supportedfor movement by the body between towing and firing positions, a truckpivoted to the body and provided with spaced walls in which areguide-slots, blocks movable :in theslqtfi, an axle neetoturn the blocks,a wheel rotatable about the axle, a hand lever fulerumed upon the truck,a joinin the .hana-ieverto,theaxleend means r em 0rar 1 reta ning thehan -lever in a pos -ion outward from the carriage.

.15. In a gun-carriage, a, carriage bOQY upon which a gun may be. supprt d for m ve nt y the body between towing and firing positions, a truckpivoted to the body and provided with spaced walls in :whichareguide-slots, blocks movablein't e slot an axle free to tu nin the bloe.awhee1 rotatable about :theaxle, a hand-lever fulcrum d on the truckand having ianex en ion, andaslink joining the lever-extension to theaxle and iurnishing'therewith a tqegle lever.

16. In :a gun-carriage, a carriageebody upon which a gun may besupported for movement by the body between towing and firing positions,a truck pivoted to the body and provided with hand-lever.

II. In a gun-carriage, a carriageebody upon which agun may besupportedfor movement by the body between towing and firing positions, a :truckpivoted to the body and provided with spaced wallsinwhichareguide-slots,-blocks movablein the-slots, an axle free to turn inthe blocks,

.a. wheel rotatable between the walls about the axle, ;a hand-lever'fulerumed upon the truck and .having a yoked extension, and linksjoining the arms of the yoke to the opposite extremities of the axle.

1,8. In ;a gun-carriage, a carriage-body upon which a gun ay besupported fer movement by the body between towing and firing positions,.a

.-sn Qed walls in which areguide-slots, bloclgs movtruth, p vo e t he yand P e ew i h paeed w usin whic e eeeid -slot M nks-Inevable in theslots, an axle free to turn in the biggies, a wheel rotatable betweenthe walls about the axle, 1a hand-lever fulcrumed upon the truck andhaving a yoked extension, links joining the arms of the yoke to theopposite extremities of the axle, and latches pivoted upon the truck andengaging the ends of the yoke-arms.

l9. In a gun-carriage, a pair of rear axles, wheels rotatable about theaxles, means tor con.- necting the axles, a post for each axle risingfrom the connecting means, a carriage-body upon which a gun may besupported for movement by the body between towing and firing positions,said body being guided upon the posts, a hand-lever fulcrumed upon thebody, toggle-levers joining th h ndev t both the po t a truck pi ot tthe fr t ft e b y and p i e h e d walls in which are guide slots, blocksmovable in the slots, an axle free to turn in the blocks, a wheelrotatable about the axle, a hand-lever fulcrumed upon the truck, and alink. joining the hand-lever to theaxle.

20. In a gun-carriage, a pair of rear axles, wheels rotatable about theaxles, means for connecting the axles, a post for each axle rising fromthe connecting means, a carriage-body upon which a gun may be supportedfor movement by the body between towingandfiring positions, said bodybeing guided upon the posts, a nand lever fulcrumed upon the body,toggle-levers joining the hand-lever to both the D98, a latch pivotedupon the body and engaging the hand-lever, a truck pivoted to the frontof the body and provided with spaced walls in whichare guide slots,

blocks movable in the slots,-an axle free to turn .in the blocks, awheel rotatabl about the axle, a

hand-lever fulcrumed upon the truck, a latch pivoted upon the truck andengaging said hand-lever, and a link joining the hand-lever to the axle.

THOMAS H. SULLIVAN.

